Thursday, September 26, 2013

Hi, friends! I want to make a quick post before we head out for some weekend travels. First, I want to alert you to the Paper Smooches September DT Blog Hop featuring some fun new October releases. Check it out and win some prizes.

I put together this card for the Paper Smooches SPARKS Picture Perfect Challenge based on this photo inspiration. Now, don't get me wrong, I seriously thought about butterflies and other fluttering sweetnesses, but I really wanted to use my new stamp set, "Wake Up". So I went with poppin' toasts!

Besides the flying toasts, I used colors inspired by the photo. I love this set!

Since I have not yet been able to order any of the great new products, I thought I would use my favorite go-to Simon Says Stamp die, "Absolutely". This is so versatile, I have used it so many different times and in so many different ways.

This time I combined it with a little guy from Doodle Stampede and I tried some splattering with watercolor pencils.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

We got home from our weekend travels in time for me to post this for the Paper Smooches SPARKS Cool Shades challenge. I posted a card last week, but just wasn't happy with it. Those colors have been in my brain ever since then - driving me crazy.

So, I decided to let myself have a quick do-over! I have been wanting to use my new "Free Spirits" stamp set (it is the TAM, or Thanks A Million, set which is free this month with a $60 purchase!) and matching dies. I embossed it and a stamp from the "Pretty Phrases" set. Since this set is available at Simon Says Stamp, I am entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Bog challenge. It is part of their "Stamptember" celebration. Check it out!

That is a, LifeStyle Crafts embossing folder.I added some shimmery silver paper from my stash, a glitter pen to the wineglass and some of my vintage sequins to add to the party vibe.

While this still is not a color combo I can say I really like, I do like this card better than last week's.

I sure hope you have had a great weekend - thanks for the visit and I'll see you soon!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

I am playing along with the Paper Smooches SPARKS Cool Shades challenge. These are the colors - am I allowed to say it? I am not that crazy about the combo. But, that makes the challenge even more so, right?

I was inspired by the paper-pieced apples on my super-talented bloggin' buddy Jen's card here. She is such a design genius, that gal!

Anyway, for my card I used Paper Smooches "Falling for You" and "Spiritual Samples" along with some MME "Dream" patterned paper. I've tried color blocking again. The turquoise photo corner actually picks up on the bit of turquoise in the patterned paper strip at the bottom, but I had trouble photographing it.

Monday, September 16, 2013

As many of you know, I am crazy about Art Impressions stamps. I really wanted to play along with their current challenge, "Oh My Chickens", but (even though I have box full of AI stamps) I don't have any of their cute chicken stamps.

So, I had to get creative! I used this great buzzard and made up my own sentiment and phrase bubble. Pretty cagey, eh?

For texture, and to qualify for the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, "Emboss It", I added a layer embossed with a Sizzix wood grain folder.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned having lunch in San Francisco with a special friend. It was my super-talented and sweet bloggin' buddy, Virginia Lu (and family). She posted some photos of our get-together on her blog. So much fun to get to know her in person after all these years of cyber-friendship!

Saturday, September 14, 2013

My Paper Smooches order arrived and I had to play, even though my weekend has been so darn BUSY.

This is for the current Paper Smooches SPARKS Designer Draft Challenge. Here is the sketch, with which I took some liberties.

I've been wanting to try layering several sentiment die cuts - this "thanks" has five layers glued together. I like the look and the dimension. Sparkle added with a MS glitter pen.

I couldn't wait to color up this sweet birdie - I had only seen him done up in yellows (like a chick), but I somehow saw a blue bird. It is so cool to have matching dies for this great Chubby Chums set.

Hope your weekend is wonderful! Thanks for checking in and have a creative week.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Toady I am playing along with the CAS-usal Fridays challenge. This is not something I typically do, because my cards are typically NOT clean and simple (they are tacky and over the top! Ha!).

This week's challenge is for back to school and I wanted to make a card for our dear niece
who just started her first teaching job - third grade. We are so proud of her, especially since she went to college part-time while raising two little ones, did her student teaching and landed a job right after getting her credential. Yay, Stacy!

I used Hero Arts Engraved Fruits (CL 433) and This Is Big (CL 570), which was a gift from my Crafty Girl, Anita (thanks again!).I wish I knew the source for the glittery school-themed paper, but I don't. It has been hoarded for ages.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

I don't normally post on weekends, but I just wasn't happy with yesterday's post. It has been nagging at me.

I decided to channel my inner 1960's - what an amazing decade! Yep, I even had a VW bug that I painted with flowers.

Again, this is for the Paper Smooches SPARKS Trends challenge - flowers. I'm sooo much happier since I decided to "roll with it"! This is so much more ME. I thought the flowers with the silver centers worked well with the dash of chrome on the scooter.

Hope you are having an "outta sight" weekend. Thanks for being patient with my struggle!

Thursday, September 5, 2013

My former collage roommate loves quails and poppies. It just so happens that they are
California's state bird and flower. I found this perfect little magnet for her at a garage sale last weekend and I decided to make a card to go along with it.

I dug out a very old SU set called Wonderful Woodgrains and a Hero Arts sentiment (Big Hugs, CL456). Paper and enamel dots are from My Mind's Eye.

This is going into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Bog - Animal Antics. I believe that birds count for this, as my dear and super-talented pal Lin, who is on the Design Team there, rocked it with a couple of adorable bird cards.

Monday, September 2, 2013

We had a wonderful extended holiday weekend! Lunch in San Francisco with a special friend and her dear family (more on this later!), then on to Calistoga in Napa's beautiful wine country. We enjoyed the last of the concerts in the park, the last of Gary's yummy tomato crop, the last summer hours in the mineral water pool, great warm weather, some cleaning, catching up with friends, and so much more. A fantastic salute to a departing summer!

Now, we are ready to be home for awhile, getting back to our routines. I am sorry to see the kids heading back to school, but "to everything there is a season".

I made these little back to school bookmarks with stamps from my pals at Doodle Stampede. Simple, yet fun for kids.

I'll be checking in with all of your creative bogs later today. Thanks for the visit and have a lovely week!